Upcycled Soundshttp://upcycledsounds.eu
Wed, 06 Dec 2017 21:36:36 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.18Trying out the DPA d:mention 5100http://upcycledsounds.eu/trying-out-the-dpa-dmention-5100/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/trying-out-the-dpa-dmention-5100/#commentsTue, 01 Aug 2017 09:06:32 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=911In preparation for the Himalayas to Ocean trip in Nepal, we are recording bits and pieces to try out the fantastic DPA d:mention 5100 mobile surround mic in London and Suffolk. This little weekend led to some weird recordings in the Greenwhich tunnel and gentle dawn chorus recordings in Suffolk. Next test trip will be in Brecon Beacons, can’t wait!
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http://upcycledsounds.eu/863/#commentsFri, 03 Feb 2017 12:49:32 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=863To welcome in the new year, I recorded Parisian band Rest in Gale. Spending three days in the studio, we recorded everything live then added a few overdubs. Looking forward to releasing this in hopefully a few months!! In the meantime here are some photos:
]]>http://upcycledsounds.eu/863/feed/0Wildlife Sound Recording Coursehttp://upcycledsounds.eu/wildlife-sound-recording-course/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/wildlife-sound-recording-course/#commentsTue, 27 Dec 2016 13:34:27 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=849

A couple of weeks ago I attended a wonderful three-day course in wildlife sound recording organised by Wildeye, with Chris Watson and Jez Riley French. I had been deferring the course for a few years but I am so glad I eventually found the time to do it.

It was interesting and refreshing to look at sound recording from a different perspective to the one I’m used to. It also helped me articulate a few ideas that I’ve had rattling around my head for a while.

One of the first ideas that came up was the concept of durational listening. Most mainstream music has cut down the listening experience to three minute chunks stuffed with ideas and sounds (I must say I’m guilty of loading my music with weird sounds… bambinodelloro.bandcamp.com). With wildlife sound recording you have to change your way of interacting with sounding objects. Unlike recording music in a controlled environment, you are not in control of the sound source(s). Therefore, it’s important to take the time to listen, identify the source of the sound you want to record and then find the most effective way of capturing it. I discovered patience is key and I learnt to relax into listening to how sounds develop over time and let myself be surprised by their movement and melody.

This is exactly why I love listening to Jez Riley French’s recordings. Rather than artificially fabricated soundscapes, , they are true-to-life recordings of found-sounds naturally developing over time. I would recommend tickling your ears with some of this: soundcloud.com/jezrileyfrench.

This weekend also got me thinking about the concept of studio recording. There are many reasons why we choose to record in controlled acoustic environments but I have always thought the process and end result is removed from how performers and audience experience music in real life. Just like in wildlife recording, when we experience live music in our daily life we are not in control of the surrounding environment. Sounds such as cars rushing by, people talking in the street or bird song contribute to making a background sound which gives the listener cues of where and when all the music is happening. To me, these cues are important to document the history of how cultures experience and make music.

I first started thinking about this during my Record-and-Ride project. I always tried to record the musicians in their day-to-day environment, such as bedrooms, living rooms and streets.. The more recordings I made, the fonder I grew of the backgrounds sounds. I loved the way they supported the music and how, when I listen back to them, I can picture the scene so clearly.. I hope that others hear the same sounds and project their versions of the scenes in their mind-screen!

Voilà voilà. Just a few thoughts I thought I’d share! Here is the Wildeye team on the weekend of the 2-4th December 2016. Please share your reactions!

]]>http://upcycledsounds.eu/wildlife-sound-recording-course/feed/0Studio Maintenance at SAE Oxfordhttp://upcycledsounds.eu/studio-maintenance-at-sae-oxford/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/studio-maintenance-at-sae-oxford/#commentsThu, 01 Dec 2016 16:24:30 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=836I took a few month break from updating the blog as I’ve taken up a new part0-time job supervising and maintaining studios at SAE Institute Oxford. It’s been a fun few months with a lot of work updating a fixing 5 different studios. This included fitting a new console (Audient ASP8024) See pics from some of the fun had below!
]]>http://upcycledsounds.eu/studio-maintenance-at-sae-oxford/feed/0I am Chut Wuttyhttp://upcycledsounds.eu/i-am-chut-wutty/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/i-am-chut-wutty/#commentsFri, 08 Apr 2016 13:22:30 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=795

So excited that Fran Lambrick’s feature documentary for which we did all the sound is being released internationally today by Journeyman: I am Chut Wutty. It was an incredibly interesting but also challenging project to work on.

Only involved in the post-production stage we received hours of interviews of varying quality. After an initial draft back in 2013 which we were extremely lucky to present to award wining Dubbing Mixer George Foulgham (Project Nim, Man on Wire, etc..), we worked hard to creatively use the original recordings to make a professional soundtrack to accompany the beautiful footage captured by Vanessa de Smet. We are very pleased with the result and hope you will take time to learn about the land-grabbing issues and the amazing activist, Chut Wutty, presented in this documentary

“I AM CHUT WUTTY began as a film exposing dispossession and deforestation in Prey Lang forest, Cambodia. Communities depend on the forest, collecting natural resins from trees that are now targeted by loggers. These issues came to a head with a community protest in Sandan, where a rubber company, CRCK, is illegally cutting down thousands of resin trees. At that protest, we met Chut Wutty. Aside from the group we spoke about corruption in illegal logging, when the military police arrived. Wutty was thrown to the ground at gun point. Immediately the network members rushed to help him—armed only with sticks. Later he said, “If I don’t do the work, no one will do it. People are too afraid.”

In April 2012, Chut Wutty was shot and killed at a logging site in the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia, where he was investigating illegal activities with two journalists.

The international outcry at Chut Wutty’s death prompted the Cambodian Government to issue a suspension on all new land concessions. However, just weeks later, six new concessions were given – two of which are in protected areas. International public and donor pressure must support the activists continuing Chut Wutty’s work, and the forest communities standing up for their rights.

Worldwide, those who struggle to protect the environment face violence. Chut Wutty is one of over 700 forest and land rights defenders killed world wide over the last decade: a rate of one per week. Over the last decade the rate of killings has doubled. We aim to tell the story of Wutty’s work protecting Cambodia’s forests and to support activists who pursue justice—protecting the natural resources they depend on.” ( More info: iamchutwutty.com)

]]>http://upcycledsounds.eu/i-am-chut-wutty/feed/0Pete the Monkey Sessions – New video!http://upcycledsounds.eu/pete-the-monkey-sessions-new-video/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/pete-the-monkey-sessions-new-video/#commentsMon, 04 Apr 2016 16:36:34 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=790It is always with great excitement that we release a new Pete the Monkey session video. This time it’s a wonderful cover of Little Dragon arranged by Jack Durtnall for London Contemporary Voices. See below for your auricular enjoyment!

What are the Pete the Monkey Sessions?

For three days a year a wonderful crew of people passionate about video, sound and music get together to setup a temporary studio at the Pete the Monkey Sessions. For the whole of the festival they stay in their magical den recording bands performing at the festival.

It’s particularly exciting for me as I have to get everything setup and sounding nice incredibly quickly in a tiny little space. With a curious and festive audience sneaking in and artists buzzing from the festival atmosphere, it is essential to stay calm and work efficiently. The first year I was involved (2014), we recorded something like 30 bands… the second year was less intense but incredibly hard-work nonetheless. However it alway pays off! More videos here.

]]>http://upcycledsounds.eu/nomadic-session-13/feed/0InTandem vol.2http://upcycledsounds.eu/intandem-vol-2/
http://upcycledsounds.eu/intandem-vol-2/#commentsTue, 01 Dec 2015 12:56:24 +0000http://upcycledsounds.eu/?p=726It is with great excitement that we announce that the second InTandem publication is now available online! You can read it here: intandempublications.com/intandem-vol-2-2

InTandem, a spin off from Tandem Festival, is a quarterly publication based in Oxford, both online and in print, that fuses social and environmental issues with the arts. It aims to make these issues more accessible and relevant to new audiences through the arts.

This second edition looks at COP21 in Paris and asks what is it for? What does it need to achieve? What is climate change? How can you make a difference?

The second Tandem Sunday is upon us! Come along this Sunday 25th October for some excellent music, tasty local drinks, food from food-waste and some pumpkins!

For this edition we’re partnering with Good Food Oxford to celebrate food and creatively encourage people to think about the food they throw away. From 3pm to 6pm we will be running a mini-pumpkin carving workshop and looking at what we can do with the left overs – Pumpkins and squashes are first and foremost an amazing vegetable.

In the evening, we’ll be welcoming some very special acts in Hill End’s lovely rustic old barn:

– Rosie Caldecott –
Local Singer songwriter with a soft and magical voice that will take you away dreaming. She released her debut album with Upcycled Sounds this year and you can listen to it here: rosiecaldecott.bandcamp.com

– Ditte Elly –
Described as having a voice that is “masterfully crafted to be wistful, yet strong and powerful”, Newcastle-based Ditte Elly has been performing across the North East, London and Oxford for the past four years. In 2012 she self-released a 5-track EP, ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and her lastest single, ‘I Am Only (What You Make Me)’ has been featured on BBC 6Music, BBC Newcastle and Amazing Radio. Two more singles will follow before the release of her debut album in early spring 2016.soundcloud.com/ditte_elly

– Lecaudé –
Lecaudé is the self-titled solo project of singer, songwriter and producer Lecaudé (Jack Durtnall), playing a blend of lyrically-driven electronic pop and soul. Critically acclaimed by Radio 1 as BBC introducing Track of The Week (2014) and Glastonbury Emerging Talent with nominations in 2014 and 2015.soundcloud.com/lecaudehq

Join us on the 27th September at Hill End’s wonderful barn for an evening of intimate hand-picked music. For our first evening of a series of concerts on the last sunday of every month we’ll be welcoming:

– Òkina –
An amorphous selection of musicians from Oxford who create intricate music which combines folk with jazz and electronica. Vocal harmonies, greek bouzouki, guitar, drums, upcycled sounding objects and various other percussion instruments come together in a vibrant ensemble of sounds. Listen here: okina.bandcamp.com

– Midori Jaeger Sextet –
Incredibly talented cellist and singer accompanied by her wonderful string ensemble will be performing intriguing arrangements of her own songs. Those who heard her at Tandem Festival know you are in for a treat! Listen here: youtube.com/watch?v=3nHTdKTmIkg

Doors open at 7.30pm and music will end at 10pm.
Tickets are £10 / £8cons; £12 on the door.
Advance booking is recommended as spaces are limited: upcycledsounds.eu/tandem-sundays

Drinks and snack will be available and sourced locally.

We encourage cycling to and from the events. Cyclist will be rewarded by being entered into a prize draw with a chance to win tickets for future events!